The State Cabinet on Wednesday decided to refer seven more illegal mining cases to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Karnataka Lokayukta.
A State Cabinet meeting, presided over by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, referred seven illegal mining cases, including those involving Jantakal Mining Company, Black Gold Minerals and Pvt. Ltd., and Kumaraswamy Mining Ltd., to the SIT.
The Cabinet ratified the decision to refer cases of illegal mining to the SIT following recommendation by the Karnataka Lokayukta which probed illegal mining in the State, Law Minister T.B. Jayachandra told presspersons after the meeting.
The State government has already referred all the illegal mining cases mentioned in the Lokayukta Report 1 and 2 to the SIT.
The probe into these seven cases had been halted owing to the stay order from the Supreme Court. The cases have been now assigned to SIT following lifting of the stay order by the apex court.
Before the Cabinet meeting, Mr. Siddaramaiah chaired a meeting of the Mining and Geology Department and took a decision to appeal to the Supreme Court for allowing iron ore mining to increase steel production in the State. Steel production has declined in the State following inadequate iron ore mining, Minister for Mines and Geology and Vinay Kulkarni told presspersons.
On the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice seeking the government’s view on the creation and abolition of the Legislative Council in the State, Mr. Jayachandra said the Cabinet had decided to maintain status quo on the matter. With this, the Upper House would continue to function in the State.
